Skidding-tongs.



Patented Mr. 30, mm.

M i a m A n 2% M v. w w

in Modal.)

. Wimesses: 9* W;

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DAVID ALEXANDER BRITTAIN, OF WESTFIELD, CANADA.

SKIDDING-TONGS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 673,356, dated April 30, 1901.

Application filed May 16 1900.

To all whom it may concern.-

have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin skidding-Tongs; and ldohere by declare that the following is a full, clear, I and exact description of the invention, such to as will enable others skilledin the art to which l to devices well known in the art, and I will it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in skidding-tongs especially adapted to be used j, in lumbering regions for handling logs and? I 5 timber of all kinds and for loading and unsegment is applied to one member of the tongs.

loading lumber on ships.

The ordinary skidding-tongs consist prin- 1 cipally of a pair of members pivoted together and having means for the attachment of a 1 2o haulage cable or chain; but such devices are open to the serious objection that they release 1 the log or other piece of work when the cable or chain slackens, thus releasing the log and allowing it to drop, which sometimes is at- 25 tended with serious results, besides involving loss of time. I aim to overcome these objections by providing the skidding-tongs with a locking mechanism which efiectually prevents the tongs members from movement relative to each other during the operation of hauling or lifting the log, which locking device is arranged for easy and convenient manipulation. Said locking device is simple in construction, may be applied to the ordinary or any preferred style of tongs used for skidding lumber, and is efficient and reliable in operation.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will, appear in the course of the sub- 0 joined description, and the novelty in the construction and arrangement of parts will be defined by the claims.

In the drawings hereto annexed and forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a 5 side elevation of myimproved skidding-tongs.

Fig. 2 is an edge view thereof. Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the plane of the dotted line 3 3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a face view of the boxing removed from one member of the tongs 50 and illustrating the preferred form of locking-dog.

The same numerals of reference are used Serial No. 16,891. (No model.)

i to indicate like parts in each of the several Be it known that I, DAVID ALEXANDER 1 BRITTAIN, a subject of Her Majesty the Queen 1 of Great Britain, residing at Westfield,county I 5 ofKings,ProvinceofNewBrunswick,Canada,

figures of the drawings.

11 designate the members of a pair of skidding-ton gs, which members are fashion ed as shown by Fig. 1, to provide the short arms 12. These arms cross or overlap each other and are pivotally connected, as at 13. The other ends of the tongs membersare provided with the inwardly-extending prongs 14.

As thus far described the tongs are similar now proceed to describe the improvement which I have made.

15 designates the segment,which constitutes one element of my locking mechanism, which I prefer to form the end portions of this segis the boxing 19, adapted to support the locke iug-dog 23, and this boxing is fastened securely in any approved way to the other member 11 of the tongs. This boxing is shown more clearly by Figs. 3 and 4 as being cast in a single piece of metal, and it is provided with a transverse recess or slot 20 and the longitudinal guideway 21, one end of the latter opening into a notch 22, which -is formed in one end of the boxing. This boxing may be fastened to the member 11 by screws, rivets, or equivalent fastenings, and it is arranged on said member for its transverse slot or recess 20 to loosely receive the segment 15, whereby the members of the tongs may be opened or closed freely when the locking-dog 23 is disengaged from the ratchet-teeth on the inner edge of the segment. This locking-dog from the toothed edge of the segment.

engaged firmly with the log or piece of tim- Lil locking-dog is provided at one end with the serrated face 24:, which forms a number of points for engagement of the dog with a corresponding number of the ratchet-teeth on the segment, whereby the dog may be securely engaged with the segment against the possibility of slipping. This locking-dog is provided with a longitudinal slot 25, which forms a shank 26, the latter terminating in an arm 27 ,that extends outwardly from the dog. This arm is arranged to fit in the notch 22 of the boxing when the dog is pressed into engagement with the segment by the action of a spring 29, the latter being seated at one end on a shoulder 28 of the boxing and having its opposite end disposed in operative relation to the dog. The arm 27 of said dog is long enough to project beyond the face of the boxing, whereby the end of the arm forms a thumbpiece for the convenient adjustment of the dog to retract the latter from engagement with the segment and overcome the tension of the impelling-spring 29.

The links 30 are loosely connected to the,

upper ends of the short arms 12, and said links are connected by a ring 31. A swivel 32 forms an operative connection between the ring 31 and a haulage cable or chain 33.

In using the tongs the operator retracts the dog from engagement with the segment, and the tongs are then opened to the desired extent. The pronged ends of the tongs are now ber, and the dog is released, so that its spring will impel it into engagement with the toothed edge of the segment. The locking mechanism prevents the members of the tongs from having movement relative to each other during the operation of hauling or lifting the log. By my improvement the tongs remain firmly in engagement with the work to prevent the releasing thereof in the event of the cable or chain becoming slackened, and the improved implement firmly grips the log under all conditions of service and until the dog is again retracted by hand from the segment for the purpose of discharging the load.

The members of the tongs may be made of steel; but I prefer to cast the boxing and the slidable dog each in a single piece of metal. The segment may be made of steel or of cast metal. The locking mechanism which I have devised may be applied to new tongs at the time of their manufacture; but the improvements are of such nature that they may be readily applied to tongs already in use.

Changes within the scope of the appended claims may be made in the form and propor tion of some of the parts, while their essential features are retained-and the spirit of the invention is embodied. Hence I do not desire to be limited to the precise form of all the parts as shown, reserving the right to vary therefrom.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is 1. skidding-tongs comprising pivoted members, a toothed segment secured at its ends firmly to one member on opposite sides of the pivot, a slotted guide-boxing fastened to the other member and loosely embracing the segment, and alocking-dog slidably mounted in the boxing, and having a series of teeth adapted for engagement with a like series of teeth on the segment, substantially as described.

2. skidding-tongs comprising pivoted members, a boxing secured firmly to one member and provided with a transverse slot and with a longitudinal guideway, a toothed segment fastened to theother member and passing through the transverse slot of the boxing, and a spring-actuated dog slidably mounted in the guideway of the boxing and having a series of teeth arranged for engagement With a like series on the segment, substantially as described.

3. skidding-tongs comprising pivoted members, a boxing fastened securely to one member and having a shoulder and a notch, a toothed segment fastened to the other member and fitted loosely in the boxing, a slidable dog mounted in the boxing and having at one end a serrated face and at its other end an extended arm, and a spring seated on the shoulder of the boxing and operatively dis- 5 posed to the dog, substantially as described. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand'in the presence of two Witnesses.

DAVID ALEXANDER BRITTAIN. Witnesses:

ARTHUR I. TRUEMAN, FRANCIS KERR. 

